Event Reviews - HRM Elizabeth's Queen's Champion November 2021

Queen's Champion review from the Queen's Champion

Queen's Champion, the roughest, toughest, rowdiest tournament of the year (twice a year). Many a Queen's have I entered, but yesterday was unlike any other for me.

First and foremost, Your Majesty, my Queen. You inspired so many great feats of prowess yesterday, and it is that inspiration that allowed me to be victorious. It was an honor to fight for you, and now it will be an honor to serve.

To those who made this Queens such a phenomenal event, from the autocrats, to the list mistresses, to the marshals and field heralds, thank you all so much. I'm at a loss for words to Express the depths of my appreciation for all that each of you did (and for someone who loves wordplay as much as I do, that's saying something).

To my opponents whose blades and skills were every bit as sharp as my own (if someone could tag those who I don't have, I'd be very appreciative) Uilleach, Rosalia, Master Pug, Kai Son, Doña Marie de Girau, Master Robin, and Mistress Gwenneth Bowynne, thank you. Each and every one of you. I had such a blast fighting all of you, and I can only hope you each had as much fun as I did.

To my brother Orazio, what a finals. Everything about those bouts is running through my head like a montage of greatest hits, and it was one of my greatest pleasures to share that field with you as her Majesty's finalists. Your honor and comportment are inspirational, and your prowess is exceptional.

To all the other fighters on the field that day, every single on of you. Thank you. My fighting would be irrelevant without opponents, and without all of you, I would've been a sad man standing in a field with a sword. Whether you went 0-5 in the swiss five, bowed out at the necessary time, were knocked out from the single elimination, or anything in between, hold your heads high, as you fought with honor for the glory of Her Majesty, and each of you did Ansteorra proud.

To Elianora, who made the heraldic shields for the fighters, thank you for these phenomenal, glorious, and stunningly beautiful bits of heraldic wonder.

To those who helped me to this point, my teachers, my friends, my siblings of the blade, Thank you, and I love you all.

And to my loving wife Kaitlyn Doty, who when I said "I would like to win this, Queens, may I?".... you are the greatest light in my life. We have a busy road ahead of us, and thank you for your faith in me as you said "Then go win it".

Your Majesty, I hope to make you proud,
I humbly remain,
Don Diego Fortuna de Almeria, WSA 118,
Queen's Champion to Elizabeth I

Perrin de Beaujeu, Baron of Northkeep

Home from a glorious Queen’s Champion. The weather was wonderful and we had a great time seeing old friends and new friends throughout the day. Thank you to Her Majesty Elizabeth for assembling such an amazing group of swashbuckling fighters! Thank to our dear cousins of The Steppes, Baudoyn de Lafayette and Katerine la Roux d'Anjou and for hosting; Thanks for letting us hold the babies! Unto our cousin of Wiesenfeur, Beatrix Alfraye and her entourage, Rebekah Aleyn thanks for keeping us company all day.

I also want to thank the Northkeep Vanguard for showing up in force to fight, and serve on such a memorable day. Thank you Sir Geoffrey de Gournay, Mistress Adalia VonderBerg, Don Facon du Pray, HL |Karl Thorgeirsson, HL Redwulf von Kuhl, HL Johann von Aue, Centurion Michall Morison, Lady Elena Zekel Miklosne, and Lord Daniel MacTavish, for all the help in setup and tear down as well as the company we so much enjoy. Northkeep, please take special note: HL Redulf made it to the top ten in Queen Champion and HL Johann was the runner up in the Royal blade championship that same day. Huzzah to all!

Áshildr inn Hárfagri

This weekend was my second queens champion and boy howdy was it a whirlwind. Her Stellar Majesty Queen Elizabeth I Sarah Keown looked like she stepped out of a painting of the historical Queen, giving an already magical event that much more sparkle. And Elianora, your hard work on the list tree dumped more glitter onto that sparkle as well as made so many of us feel special. I can personally attest to a great number of swashbucklers who glowed when they picked up their arms.

To my lovely consort, Malie you are the meanest, loveliest, most aggressive and effective fighter support I could ask for. Proud of you for playing your game, and honored to be the subject of your hydration based violence. To the Valkyries and Einherjar taking care of everybody at our tent, thank you for making it possible for us knuckleheads to fight when our brains are off. And thanks for the water. Thank you, Aesilief Nalhamarr for filming my fights and being an all around delight, you're so much fun to be around.

I was honored to fight my case fight with the blade of my cadet sister Duchess Valeria. It sang through the air against the dreaded kingslayer, and I'm honored to have taken the field with a sister's blade. In fact, I loved it so much that I went and had to buy a new sword !! (that I'd been planning on for months, I promise it wasn't a spur of the moment decision)

To my most noble and worthy opponents, thank you for fights well fought. Thank you Captain Niccolo, Master Don Robin of Gilwell, Viceroy Deakon Baklava Horsejohnson III, Sævarr Máni, and Too Tall. Robin and Baklava, those were two of the most fun fights I've had in my life, and the Queen smiled so I think we did our job. Thank you to everyone who fought me in pickups, and for your advice, comments, criticism, and words of encouragement. I can only hope I bring to the field as much joy and panache as our dear Robin, who caused me to use my best offhand way earlier in the tournament than I intended. And I am still laughing at the look on the marshals face when Baklava and I were matched, and the greater distress when we indicated we were fighting case and the even GREATER concern when Baklava brought out the two handed rapier. Finding a second marshal was probably a good call lol

I would also like to thank my most noble, honorable, fierce, and worthy of opponents, Don Orazio for the duel of the century, and to our respective white scarves for not skinning us alive when they heard of our conflict. If I am to cede by right of cheeks such a great and noble title to any opponent, it is Orazio who is most deserving.

Biatrichi Canzoniere, I thank you for the honor and support you've seen fit to extend to Mal and I. I'll wear the silver sandals with pride and walk with you as I try to juggle the gentler arts with all the fencing. I appreciate it, and the warm welcome into the family (by right of violence, thank you Sean Tabor).

Your Majesties, Queen Elizabeth and King Floki, I thank you for seeing fit to bestow upon me a Sable Talon. I'm still buzzing with excitement and with pride knowing I made you laugh on your special day, and knowing I pestered the king about water. That's our job, right?

My doña, Marie de Girau, my swordmom and cadet sister Elspeth Monypenny, and the curviest blades in the kingdom my sworddad Kazimir Lyszkowycz Wylkowski, I couldn't do what I do without you. <3 <3

As a side note, I love how many pics I have of me hugging my opponents.

Also my name and arms are registered as per the last LOAR so guess who has Áshildr in Hárfagra, Margery Arkewright, purpure a fleece Argent and on a chief embattled or a rapier sable, and FIELDLESS A PAIR OF BREECHES AZURE!!